How To Use Video For Lead Scoring

Just like any other sales or marketing tactic, video can, and should, be measured and mapped. When it is, this information can be used to ensure your efforts are reaching the right people.

Video requires a different approach to metrics, with different numbers to consider when building the right lead scoring method. In this post, we’ll break down how lead scoring works, and how different types of video fit into the mix.

What Is Lead Scoring?

Lead scoring is the process of evaluating prospect or customer readiness to buy your product or service, based on their level of engagement with your brand, or purchase intent. Traditionally, the customer journey is viewed as a “funnel,” with three stages:

Top-of-Funnel (Awareness)

Middle-of-the-Funnel (Consideration)

Bottom-of-the-Funnel (Ready to buy)

However, it’s important to realize some customer journeys are non-linear, with nurturing extending beyond the final sale. These prospects fall generally fall into two different categories:

Retargeting. These are “cold” leads that may have gone dark.

Retention and loyalty. Your current customers are your most valuable asset — don’t forget about them! Use video to engage customers who may be eligible for contract extensions, or who may be interested in other products.

Lead scoring requires measuring behavior on an user-by-user basis. The most common way to achieve this is with marketing automation platforms such as Hubspot, Marketo, Pardot, or Act-On.

Defining Video Lead Scoring Objectives

Every company has different needs, and different ways of evaluating their customer journey. Sales and marketing teams should work out a lead scoring system that works for both parties, to deliver the desired results.

Traditional lead scoring assigns values to different interactions a prospect has with your marketing or sales activity. Different interactions may be more valuable than others, depending on the level of engagement or intent a prospect has with your company. Each interaction is “weighted” (assigned a number of points) based on the level of importance each interaction has to your sales or marketing team.

For example, a prospect signing up for a webinar, or watching a sales demo, could be considered more valuable than viewing a video in your newsletter, liking a video post on Facebook, or viewing a YouTube pre-roll ad.

A lead scoring template typically ties a numerical points system to each interaction that directly correlates with the customer journey. The more “points” a prospect has, the more qualified the sales or marketing lead. Different point thresholds carry the consumer through the customer journey, prompting sales and marketing teams to take different actions when engaging with the prospect.

We’re a fan of explainer video here at IdeaRocket, and this one from from Hubspot breaks it down pretty well:

For some examples of a template, marketing automation platforms like Marketo and Hubspot have some great resources to help you get started.

Why Video Lead Scoring Is Different

Video is a unique medium, with different metrics than other types of sales and marketing tactics. Each metric should be mapped to your lead scoring chart, with different levels of engagement tied to different tiers of the customer journey.

Video Lead Scoring Metrics

Using Video Lead Scoring Metrics

Combining this information, with other information you have about your prospect’s business to create a lead scoring scheme that accurately predicts likelihood that a prospect will become a customer, can be tricky.

Ideally, you would look back at past data and observe who your current clients are, and how they behaved. Luckily, many of the marketing automation platforms are providing increasingly sophisticated tools to help you do that.

Video Production For Different Stages Of The Customer Journey

Now that we have an understanding of how lead scoring works, and what metrics to use to evaluate, let’s take a look at how different types of video play a role.

Brand Awareness: Top-of-Funnel Videos

Think of top-of-funnel videos as the “introductory” phase for your audience. It’s your job to “hook” your viewers, and get them engaged in your brand. This is your first chance to make a good impression — so use it.

Consideration: Middle-of-the-Funnel Videos

Once you have prospects interested in your brand, it’s time to prove your value, and turn them into more nurtured sales leads. At this stage, make sure you’re providing more in-depth resources that directly correspond to your prospects’ pain points. Long-form videos, like webinars, case studies, how-tos, and customer testimonials, can give added perspective for customers looking to learn more about how your product or service will directly benefit them. More in-depth explainer videos, tailored to certain products, industries, or services, can also give audiences detailed answers to specific questions.

Sales: Bottom-Funnel Videos and Renewals

Bottom-funnel videos are the meat and potatoes for your sales team. These videos are used on sales calls, on demos, or with existing customers. These videos could be in-depth product walkthroughs, explainers, or topic-specific user webinars, just to name a few.

Beyond the Funnel – Retargeting and Loyalty

Retargeting through video can be beneficial for reactivating leads that may have gone “cold” or inspiring repeat purchases. The type of videos used here vary, depending on the prospect. You may want to target a YouTube or social media ad at a customer who visited your website, but didn’t convert. Or, you could send a friendly video email to follow up with a customer who attended a webinar, but didn’t engage further.

Use video to get your existing customers excited about a new product or feature with a new explainer video breaking it down. This can help generate excitement early, from people you know are already invested in doing business with your brand.

The Importance of Lead Scoring For Video

If you’re putting the effort into creating video, it’s important that you make sure you can measure the impact. Lead scoring can give you insights to focus your efforts, and provide the best experiences for your audience.